Down to Earth

Kerul Kassel and David Leeman are committed environmentalists. They drive hybrid cars, recycle faithfully and constantly consider what impact their actions have on the Mother Earth. So it makes sense that their new home is "green."

Not the color. Green is the term used to describe a home built in an environmentally responsible manner, from its energy efficiency to its landscaping to its use of renewable construction materials.

First they chose to build in Harmony, an Osceola County master-planned community so green that no homes are being built along its lakefront, and even its streetlights are shielded to prevent artificial illumination from interfering with evening stargazing.

Every home built in Harmony must meet federal Energy Star guidelines, which means that their heating and air-conditioning systems and their hot-water heaters must be roughly 20 percent more energy efficient than Florida codes require.

Then Kassel and Leeman chose building materials that were as earth friendly as possible. For example, the upstairs floors are made of bamboo-a green product because, unlike many hardwoods, it's fast growing and easily replenished.

The downstairs floors are covered with porcelain tile-a green product because it's made of clay, a natural resource that has the added advantage of emitting no harmful gases, otherwise known as volatile organic compounds (VOC's).

Area rugs are made of unadulterated wool, silk or cotton. "The carpeting on the stairs may be a synthetic, but that's it," says Kassel.

The home has highly insulated windows to cut down on heat or cooling losses. And its propane-powered, tankless water heater provides instant on-demand hot water, saving energy by eliminating the need to keep a full tank heated at all times.

"Propane isn't a renewable energy source," says Kassel. "But in terms of the environmental costs of electrical power plants, which use coal, fuel oil or nuclear energy to create energy, it's a better choice."

Kassel and Leeman are on the cusp of a green building trend that's beginning to spread beyond the ranks of committed environmentalists into the mainstream, say construction professionals.

That's due in large part to skyrocketing energy prices, which have spurred consumers to demand homes designed and built to conserve resources without sacrificing comfort.

The technology is already available. Even a home built with some green features can save 20 percent per year on energy bills. And there are now homes equipped with solar photovoltaic panels that create enough electricity to lower a power bill to nearly nothing.

"Green building is starting to gain traction in the marketplace," says Ray Tonjes, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders' Green Building Subcommittee. "It's started to grow."

While pocketbook issues may have sparked the initial interest in green building, homeowners are discovering other benefits as well, including better indoor air quality and less water required for irrigation.

"Once you understand green building, it becomes a common-sense thing for the homebuyer," says Karen Childress, environmental stewardship manager for WCI Communities, which has committed to building green around the state.

Childress is also president of the Florida Green Building Coalition, a nonprofit organization that has developed a green-building certification program.

Her group has identified several key concepts of green building, including energy and water efficiency, drought-tolerant landscaping, improved indoor air quality and use of building materials that are healthy for humans and made from renewable materials.

Of course, just as there are shades of the color green, there are shades of green in homebuilding. A home can incorporate some green characteristics or it can be green in every possible respect. "You can go from chartreuse green to dark forest green," Childress notes.

Concurrently, the price tag for building green can be next to nothing or it can be significant.

For example, it can cost relatively little to choose materials that are more energy efficient or are made from more renewable resources, says Childress. But more elaborate green systems, such as exceptionally energy-efficient windows or high-tech electrostatic air filters, can be pricey.

While the cost of the windows can be offset over time by lower energy bills, the electrostatic filter won't save homeowners any money. For those with allergies or asthma, however, the investment may be worthwhile from a health standpoint.

"There are big-ticket items that add to the price, but you can significantly increase your quality of life," says Childress. "And you're conserving for the future and being a better citizen of the world."

Best of all, you can do it all in the style to which you've become accustomed.

A green-built home can look as fancy or as plain as any other. It can stand out or blend into a neighborhood. And the principals of green building can be applied to homes in every style and price range, from simple bungalows to majestic mansions.

Speaking of majestic mansions, have a look at the super-green New American Home 2006, built by Hannigan Homes in southwest Orlando" target="_blank">Orange County.

Designed by WCI Architecture & Land Planning, the New American Home, which was opened for tours during NAHB's International Builders Show, boasts more than 7,000 square feet of air-conditioned space, yet uses only about as much energy as a home less than half that size, says Alex Hannigan, company president.

Of course, not everybody can afford all the extra-efficient upgrades that were in the New American Home. But, says Hannigan, everybody can afford to do some things.

"I think everybody wants to conserve energy," says Hannigan. "Maybe you don't put in everything, but you put in better insulation, a tankless hot water heater or larger overhangs."

Cameron Bradford of Bradford Building Corporation also became a green building convert when his company was chosen to build architect Sarah Susanka's Not-So-Big Showhouse, sponsored by the NAHB Green Building Subcommittee. The home, which was located in North Lake Park at Lake Nona, was also open for tours during the International Builders Show.

"We did a lot of things that were green and expensive in that house, but we also did a lot of things that were green and not expensive," says Bradford. "For example, you can upgrade insulation. You can avoid designs where large expanses of glass are in direct sun."

Both Hannigan and Bradford say that many of their buyers balk at some pricier green options, particularly those that aren't very exciting to look at, such as high-efficiency windows or elaborately filtered air-conditioning systems, because they don't expect to stay long enough to recoup the up-front investment.

"But I think that's starting to change," says Bradford. "We're seeing the costs of some of these items going down, and people are spending a little bit more time in their homes."

Plus, Bradford says, there's greater public awareness now about environmental issues, and about the ways individuals can do their part to conserve resources.

"It means more responsible construction and more responsible energy usage in the home," he says. "It could be a really big thing when you add up everybody in America."

So, while a green-built home can cost more to construct, substantial monetary savings-and less measurable but equally important lifestyle improvements-are realized in the long run.

And besides, say boosters, in a rapidly growing state with a fragile ecosystem, it's the right approach for the 21st century.